The Kings of New Wave

Fasten your seatbelt folks because we are about to take a ride back to the greatest decade, the 1980s. From the teen heartthrobs to the teen movies, there isn’t anything that I am not fascinated with when it comes to the 80s. After all, it was a prime time for film, television, fashion, and music. When it comes to the music, there is one band that my ear canals crave to hear the sounds and rhythms of, and that band is Depeche Mode.

Depeche Mode is a new-wave band from the UK that rose to fame in the early 80s. Since their first debut album in 1981, Depeche Mode has made 14 studio albums, 55 singles, and 70 music videos. To say the least, they’re good… Really good.

Strangelove

I was completely captivated by this band when I came across their song, Strangelove, a few years ago. When I first heard it, I was truly convinced that music does not get better than this. Strangelove has been interpreted in many ways. Some say it’s an ode to weird fetishes, while others argue (like me) it’s about being in a toxic relationship.

To me, the lyrics from this song suggest that the man in the relationship is cheating, and the significant other knows about it and is okay with it.

Lines such as “Will you take the pain/ I will give to you/ Again and again/ And will you return it” suggest that the man knows his cheating is wrong, but since his partner does not do anything to address the problem he won’t stop his wrongdoing, and he secretly hopes they will cheat too. It is a relationship built from a foundation of pain and dishonesty, and that is why it is a strange love.

Enjoy The Silence

Another favorite of mine is Enjoy The Silence. The music itself is art. However, it is the meaning of this song that really stands out to me. As the title of the song suggests, I believe that this song sends out the message to just enjoy the silence in life some times. Lines such as “Feelings are intense/ Words are trivial/ Pleasures remain/ So does the pain” suggests that sometimes there is no possible way to mold the strong emotions you feel in your heart into words. At times, we are so bad with our words that we end up hurting people we never meant to harm. It is a reminder of the power that our words hold.

Walking In My Shoes

Walking In My Shoes is one of Depeche Mode’s most powerful songs. Each time I listen to it, my soul feels heavy. This song reminds us not to judge others because we really do not know what they have been through. When someone does or says something wrong, we are so quick to judge. Rarely do we ever take a step back and ask ourselves what is making them act this way? Sometimes life experiences inject bitterness into the hearts and souls of many. Walking In My Shoes is a reminder to open our hearts and be a little more understanding with everyone.

The beauty of Depeche Mode lies within their synth beats, their deep voices, and their poetic lyrics. They are one of the few bands that I can certainly say has not made one bad song yet. I look forward to hearing new from them in the future.

– Sam